Chapter 44

"What are you talking about, Leah?"

"I'm a shape shifter, Kaase. I can turn into a wolf." His eyes were wide with disbelief. I felt like he would run away at any moment. But he needs to know this and make a decision if I'm really the kind of person he wants to hang out with. I have to show him what I am. I took a deep breath. "Wait here."

I looked around to make sure we were the only ones in the park then headed for the bushes across the path. Before heading into the brambles I looked back at Kaase. He was standing there staring at me with an expression I couldn't read and I couldn't help but wonder if he would be there when I came out.

I snuck behind the bushes and stripped as quickly as I could, which was hard because I was wearing A LOT of clothes. I then let the familiar fire spread through me and transform my body into a hideous beast.

Leah!? Jacob called out, he was the only one phased. He knew that I was giving this up so he probably thought I exploded somewhere. Leah, is everything alright?

As far as I know, Jake. I stepped out of the bushes.

Then why…. I tried not to tower over Kaase as I emerged from my hiding place. His expression didn't seem to change. I lay down so that I was lower than him, in a nonthreatening posture. Oh…. I ignored him.

Please don't leave. I whispered in my head to Kaase. I let out a small sigh.

We were silent for a second and I had never been so wound tight in my life. It was like I was waiting in a closet, listening to the ax murderer get closer and closer, never knowing if you would die when he found you. Then Kaase cleared his throat. "Leah… you're beautiful." He reached a hand out and gently ran his fingers through the fur on my neck.

I felt tears rise and spill over, I furiously blinked them away. His hand felt so good, I leaned into his touch and let out a wolfish purr.

I'm glad you're finally happy, Leah. Jacob thought.

Please try to keep this from, Seth. I want to surprise him. But if you can't at least keep this from mom.

I'll try my best, Leah. Then he phased out.

I lay there a bit longer but after a while I got up and went and changed back to my human form. As I emerged from the brush I was still whipping tears from my face. "Thank you." I whispered.

He reached out and put his arms around me, holding me close to him. I leaned into him. "Leah, I hope you don't mind me saying this." I froze and leaned back to look at his face. His liquid eyes were dancing and he had a huge grin on his face. "That was kinda sexy."

I let out a tear-filled laugh and dug my face into his chest. "So you don't think I'm a freak?" I mumbled into him.

He took my chin and lifted it up. "Why would I think that?"

"Because that's what I am. Kaase, this is only supposed to happen to guys. I'm the only girl wolf in the history of our tribe. There's something wrong with me." I rambled.

"Well I think you're perfect." He whispered and I sighed. He took a step back from me, realizing how close we were and I felt my heart sink. "This is so weird, I've known you for what, half an hour? And I feel like I've been with you forever."

He's taken everything so well tonight should I spoil it by bringing up imprinting? Or would he take this as easily as he did everything else? "That's another wolf thing." I started. "It's called imprinting and it's kinda a supernatural love at first sight. It happens when you find the person you were meant to be with."

He cocked his head to the side and grinned. "So you don't find any of this weird do you?"

I laughed and shook my head. "No I really don't."

He reached out and pulled a twig from my hair. "What other things are there? Do you have any like super powers?"

I snorted. "You mean besides turning into a giant wolf?"

"Yeah/" He continued to smile.

"Well, I can't get hurt." I spotted a knife clip on his pocket and pulled it out. "Watch this." I stuck the tip of the knife to my finger, drawing blood and I heard him gasp.

"What are you doing?" he pulled the knife from my hand.

"Watch." I held my finger up for him to see and slowly the blood stopped flowing and the wound sealed up. I wiped the blood on my jeans and all that was left was a little pink scar. "That will be gone in a couple minutes."

"Wow." He thought, amazed.

"And I'm super strong." I listed.

"Really?" He mused.

I looked around for something to lift or break to prove my point and saw a large oak tree next to the pond. I grabbed his hand and pulled him over, then, as if I was plucking a leaf off the tree, broke a limb off the tree. "Really." I threw it and it landed out of sight.

"And I don't feel temperature." I went on. "I could run around naked and not get cold."

I watched him lift his eye brows at the thought of me running around naked. "What about your hand being swelteringly hot?" He lifted the hand he held.

"Yeah I run around 108." I replied. "Oh and I don't really get tired, I can run forever and still be in breath. Oh and I can run really fast."

"How fast?" he was intrigued.

"We haven't clocked it. I'm faster as a wolf but as a human I'm still probably faster than the fastest sprinter out there."

He nodded then looked off into space. "This is all just so amazing. I didn't think things like this existed." Then he paused. "Wait, are there other creatures like you?"

"Well there are about 14 other wolves if that's what you're asking. But there's only 5 including me in my pack."

"Your pack? How many packs are there?"

"Well two. My friend Jacob I mentioned earlier split off from the first pack and some of us followed him. And… there's vampires."

"Vampires?" he gasped.

"Yeah, I said earlier Jacob was dating one of our long time enemies. . . "

"He's dating a vampire?" Kaase gasped.

I wondered what he'd think of Bella. "No he's dating a half vampire."

His face twisted in a cute way. "How's that work?"

"It's a long story." I laughed. I had gotten so lost I hadn't realized how much I'd really said. "Kaase, I'm so sorry, I shouldn't have told you all this at once."

"C'mon, Leah, I'm not weak." He laughed, but then added as a side note, "Well, weaker than you."

I stared up at him amazed. Is this all really happening? Will I wake up back in La Push stuck moping around over Sam? This all seemed to good to be true. "I keep waiting for you to run away, terrified. That's the reaction normal people would get."

He put a hand on my neck and shrugged. "Well then we can be freaks together." I froze as he slowly inched his face closer and pressed his lips to mine.